huawei

Huawei: 'We're not Chinese spies'

Don't worry, we're not spies. That's the message Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei is pushing out in a bid to allay U.S. fears that the company may have been involved in spying or illegal activity for the Chinese government.

Huawei has released a 24-page report, written by former U.K. government chief information officer turned Huawei's global security officer John Suffolk, which states that protecting the network security of its worldwide customers is one of company's "fundamental interests."

Despite the U.S. and China's deep economic ties and mostly friendly diplomatic relations, … Read more

RadioShack kicks off latest contract-free mobile plans

Mobile phone customers can choose from even more contract-free plans from RadioShack as of today.

Four new plans are available altogether through Cricket Wireless -- two for feature phones and two for smartphones.

The $25-per-month feature phone plan offers 300 voice minutes, while the $35 plan raises that to 1,000 minutes. Both plans up the ante with unlimited data access, unlimited texting, call waiting, and three-way calling.

The $50-per-month smartphone plan adds unlimited voice minutes and promises that the first gigabyte of data will run at full 3G speeds. The $60 plan offers the first 2.5GB of data … Read more

Huawei's October Android plan: 4 phones, 2 tablets, 1 reworked UI

BERLIN -- Huawei detailed its Android plans today, showing a half-dozen devices going on sale in October, a reworked version of the Android interface, and more of its ambition to grow into a company that regular people recognize.

"We are changing from an ODM [original design manufacturer] to a company trying to build our own brand, and we understand the importance of innovation," said Dennis Poon, who as Huawei's global user interface design director is on the front lines of some of that innovation. At the IFA consumer-electronics show here, he showed off version 1.0 of … Read more

Before Huawei can win the U.S., it needs to improve its phones

Huawei is a Chinese smartphone and infrastructure manufacturer with heaps of ambition and just as much to prove.

U.S. executives, speaking at a variety of mobile conferences, have boldly shared Huawei's vision to be a top 5 vendor in three years (they have two more to go to hit that mark). Before that happens, Huawei must also quell the U.S. government's suspicion that the Shenzen company has economic espionage in mind.

Even beyond the pressure to gain the United States' political confidence and enter lucrative business deals, Huawei isn't in any shape yet to win … Read more

Inside Huawei, the Chinese tech giant that's rattling nerves in DC

SHENZHEN, China --Chen Lifang is a bit flummoxed.

Chen is a board member and senior vice president at Huawei, the giant telecommunications gear maker based here. She's digesting news that broke a day earlier that the U.S. House Intelligence Committee has increased the pressure it's putting on the company to disclose details about its ties to the Chinese government. The bombshell came in the form of a letter, released to the media, from the committee's chairman and the ranking Democrat to Huawei founder and Chairman Ren Zhengfei.

Really, the letter was more of an 11-page laundry … Read more

Cricket adds Huawei Ascend Q to Android roster

As expected Cricket Wireless added another Android device to its lineup this week with the Gingerbread-powered Huawei Ascend Q. Listed with a fairly reasonable and contract-free $139.99 price tag, the handset should appeal to consumers looking for their first smartphone.

Hardware for the Ascend Q includes an 800MHz processor, a bar QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2-inch display, and 3.2-megapixel camera. It's not top-of-the-line stuff, mind you, but it's more than what the target demographic is familiar with. Additional details include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3G connectivity, a 1,500mAh battery, and a 4GB microSD card with support … Read more

Expert: Huawei routers are riddled with vulnerabilities

LAS VEGAS -- A German security researcher says he has uncovered several security holes in routers made by China-based Huawei that are used by many Internet service providers -- vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to take control of the devices and snoop on peoples' traffic.

Huawei routers are mostly used in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Because they're cheap, though, they're increasingly turning up in other parts of the world, the German researcher -- Felix Lindner, also known as "FX" -- said in an interview with CNET after his Defcon talk on Sunday.

The problem … Read more

Huawei's AT&T Fusion 2 Android starter phone clears FCC

Huawei and AT&T are teaming up to bring forth a sequel of the AT&T Fusion, an entry-level Android GoPhone. The A&T Fusion 2 recently cleared the FCC; the files include elements as rich as a consumer-ready user manual.

That user manual tells us that the Android follow-up will has a microSD card, an FM radio, 3G speeds, and the Swype virtual keyboard. A blurry image of the phone's back shows a 3.2-megapixel camera without flash.

So far it isn't clear what differentiates the Fusion 2 from the original, but it's … Read more

Huawei commits to 'Ascend' Windows Phone 8 handset

When it comes to Windows Phone 8, "ascend" is exactly what Microsoft needs to raise up its smartphone share.

That's why Huawei's commitment to produce a Huawei Ascend handset running Microsoft's freshly announced Windows Phone 8 OS is so key. Although the Chinese company isn't well known in the top-tier U.S. carriers, the company has a strong partnership with no-contract carriers like MetroPCS and Cricket -- two carriers that have plenty of midrange Android smartphones but no Windows Phone.

As smartphone demand continues to grow among these smaller carriers, it's crucial for … Read more

China's ZTE, under feds' scrutiny, aims to up its U.S. investments

ZTE isn't giving up on the U.S.

The Chinese telecommunications giant promised to grow its investment here by 10 percent annually as it looks to smooth over security concerns expressed by the U.S. government. ZTE's head of North America, Lixin Cheng, made the comment during a conference in Atlanta, which ZTE distributed as a statement.

"Put simply, we believe Chinese investment in the U.S. is beneficial for businesses in both countries," Cheng said in his remarks.

ZTE, alongside fellow Chinese company Huawei, faces scrutiny over whether its expansion here poses security risks. The … Read more